The largest seed in the world is the coco de mer,[1] [2] the seed of a palm tree.[3] It can reach about 300NaN0 long, and weigh up to 18kg (40lb). The coco de mer, which produces a giant, dark brown seed,[4] has been protected by the government of the Seychelles because of its rarity[5] – the tree can grow up to 31m (102feet) tall, with leaves measuring 60NaN0 long and 3.6abbr=onNaNabbr=on wide. Kigelia or "sausage seed" (botanical name Kigelia africana) can produce pods weighing up to 12kg (26lb), and NaNfrac=2NaNfrac=2 long, but the pod contains seeds.
Other recorded largest seeds include:[6]
| Seed | Image | Species | Family | Size in inches | Size in cm | Weight | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coco de mer | Lodoicea maldivica | Palm family (Arecaceae or Palmae) | 12 in | 30 cm | 18 kg (40 lbs) | The single largest Lodoicea seed found to date was one weighing 25 kg (55 lbs).[7] | ||
| Coconut | Cocos nucifera | Palm family (Arecaceae or Palmae) | 6 inches | 15 cm | The Andaman Giant Coconut can have a weight of about 8 lbs (3.6 kg).[8] | |||
| Mora[9] | Mora oleifera or M. megistosperma | Senna family (Caesalpinaceae) | 7 in by 6 in by 3 in | 18 cm by 15 cm by 8 cm. | 2.2 lbs (1 kg)[10] | |||
| East Indies Palmyra | Borassus sundaicus | Palm family (Arecaceae or Palmae) | 2.2 lbs (1 kg)[11] | |||||
| African Palmyra | Borassus aethiopum | Palm family (Arecaceae or Palmae) | Up to 4.29 inches by 3.15 in by 2.24 in. | Up to 10.9 cm by 8 cm by 5.7 cm.[12] | ||||
| Caroline Ivory Palm | Metroxylon amicarum | Palm family (Arecaceae or Palmae) | 4.5 inch sphere | 11 cm sphere | 1 lb. 4 oz (560 grams)[13] | |||
| Muli | Melocanna baccifera | Grass family (Graminae or Poaceae) | 3.9 inches long and nearly as wide.[14] | Ten cm long and nearly as wide. | 12.3 oz (350 grams)[15] | |||
| Also called "Mora" | Mora excelsa | Senna family (Caesalpinaceae) | 5 in by 2.75 in. | 12.5 cm by 8 cm.[16] | 8.8 oz (250 grams)[17] | |||
| Tea Mangrove [18] | Pelliciera rhizophorae | Tea or Camellia family (Theaceae) | 4 in sphere. | 10 cm sphere. | 7 oz (200 grams) | |||
| Bornean ironwood, Belian var. "Tanduk" | Eusideroxylon zwageri variety exilis | Laurel family (Lauraceae) | 6.3 in by 2 in diam. | 160 mm by 5 cm diam.[19] | ||||
| Pohon Kira-kira | Xylocarpus granatum | Mahogany family (Meliaceae) | Tetrahedral seeds four inches on a side. | Tetrahedral seeds 10 cm on a side.[20] | Also called "puzzlenut" because the nuts can be reassembled into a sphere. | |||
| Chayote | Sechium edule | Squash family (Cucurbitaceae) | 4 in by 2.75 in by 1 in. | 10 cm by 7 cm by 2.5 cm.[21] | ||||
| Idiot fruit | Idiospermum australiense | Spicebush family (Calycanthaceae) | 3.1 in sphere. | 8 cm sphere.[22] | 7.9 oz. (225 grams)[23] | Very poisonous. | ||
| "Capucin". | Northia seychellana | Sapote Family (Sapotaceae) | 3.1 inches, and nearly as wide3. | 8 centimeters, and nearly as wide.[24] | weight not stated | |||
| Avocado | Persea americana | Laurel family (Lauraceae) | 3 in | 7.6 cm | ||||
| Chuya | Pouteria speciosa | Sapote family (Sapotaceae) | 3.5 in long by 2.4 in thick. | 90 mm long by 60 mm thick.[25] | ||||
| Boko tree | Balanites wilsoniana | Balanitaceae | 3.46 in by 1.81 in diameter. | 8.8 cm by 4.7 cm diameter.[26] | ||||
| Pacó | Grias tessmannii | Monkeypot family (Lecythidaceae) | 3.2 in by 2.5 in.[27] | 8 cm by 6.5 cm. | ||||
| Cativo | Prioria copaifera | Senna family (Caesalpinaceae) | Up to six ounces (170 grams)[28] | |||||
| California buckeye | Aesculus californica | Horse chestnut family (Hippocastanaceae) | 2.88 in width, 2.63 in breadth and 2.13 in height.[29] | 7.32 cm width, 6.68 cm breadth and 5.41 cm height | 5 oz (140 grams) | This is the largest of all temperate (non-tropical) seeds. Poisonous. | ||
| Provision tree, Guiana chestnut | Pachira aquatica | Kapok family (Bombcaceae) | Squarish seeds to 2.4 inches on a side. | Squarish seeds to 6.1 cm. on a side.[30] | ||||
| Elephant Creeper. | Entada phaseoloides | Mimosa family (Mimosaceae) | 2.8 in by 2.4 in by 1.0 in. | 71 mm by 61 mm by 25 mm.[31] | 2.1 oz. (60 grams) | |||
| Tauari | Couratari macrosperma | Monkeypot family (Lecythidaceae) | 3.9 inches by 1.2 inches.[32] | 10 cm by 3 cm. | ||||
| Membrillo | Gustavia dodsonii | Monkeypot family (Lecythidaceae) | 2.9 inches by 2,25 inches. | 74 mm by 58 mm.[33] | ||||
| (no common name) | Macrozamia macdonnellii | Coontie family (Zamiaceae) | 3.2 inches by 2.2 inches. | 8 cm by 5.5 cm.[34] | The largest of all Gymnosperm seeds. | |||
| Also called Tauari | Couratari longipedicellata | Monkeypot family (Lecythidaceae) | Four inches long by 0.9 inches wide. | 9.5 cm long by 2.3 cm wide.[35] | ||||
| (no common name) | Grias multinervia | Monkeypot family (Lecythidaceae) | 3 inches by 1.17 inches.[36] | 77 mm by 30 mm. | ||||
| Fatra | Cycas thouarsii | Sago palm family (Cycadaceae) | 2.75 inches by 2.3 inches. | 7 cm by 6 cm.[37] | Pachytesta incrassata of the Carboniferous deposits was up to 5 in by 2.5 in diam (12 cm by 6 cm diam.) and weighed about seven ounces (200 grams).[38] | |||
| Mango | Mangifera indica | Sumac family (Anacardiaceae) | 2-4 inches | |||||
| Peach | Prunus persica | Rose family (Rosaceae) | 2 inches | 3 cm |